Can opener



Aug. 19, 1941. E. c. EBERTS CAN OPENER Filed June 21, 1959 INVENTOREdward 1. lh'ris ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 19, 1941 Edward O.

Stokely apolls, 1116.,

Eberts, Indianapolis, Ind., Brothers & Company, Inc.,

a corporation of In usllnor to Indian- Application June 21, 1939, SerialNo. 280,241 1 Claim. (CL 30-16) This invention relates to improvementsin can openers, and more particularly to a metal canpuncturing devicehaving associated therewith a shield or guard element'for reducing nddeflecting the initial spurt of the liquid co tents from the metalcontainer when punctured.

Metal containers are extensively used in the packaging of beer, ale,fruit and vegetable products and numerous other. liquid or semi-liquidmaterials which contain expansive gases or which develop such gases duetochemical changes in the contents after packaging. Pressure conditionsare thus set up so that when the container is punct red, in thecontainer cause a liquid contents through the punctured opening, whichare projected at considerable distances and in unpredictable directions.The disagreeable consequences resulting from puncturing pressure-packedmetal containers by means of can openers now in general use are wellknown.

An object of this invention can opening device having associated withthe can-puncturing portion thereof a an improved can opening devicehaving a flexible spurt-deflecting guard associated therewith, which isinexpensive to construct and assemb and which assumes the properposition when the can-puncturing element is placed in puncturingposition.

Other objects of this invention apparent as the disclosure proceeds.

Various other features and advantages of the invention will be apparentfrom the following particular description and from an inspection of theaccompanying drawing.

Although the novel features which are believed to be characteristic ofthis invention will be particularly pointed out in the claim appendedhereto, the invention itself, as to its objects and which it may be willbecome carried out, may ring to the following description taken inconnection with the accompanying drawing forming in which:

spurt shield associated portion thereof;

spurt-deflecting is to provide a with the can-puncturing Fig. 2 is a topplan ew of my improved can opener as applied to a metal container;

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of my improved can opener applied to ametal container, this view showing particularly the arrangement of thecan-puncturing portion and spurt shield when in operative position readyto puncture the can;

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view of my improved can opener showing thearrangement of the canpuncturing portion and the spurt shield as theyappiear following the can-puncturing operation; an

Fig. 5 is a can opener, with downwardly flanges.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout theseveral views of the drawing and the specification.

My improved can opener is particularly designed for puncturing the metalside wall or top wall of a metal container, the can opener havingassociated therewith a spurt guard or shield which is so arranged withrespect to the canpuncturing portion stantial spattering or spurting ofwhen the container is punctured. Referring more particularly to thedrawing, a metal container of the usual form is illustrated, having Iand a metal cover 1 conformed by crimping the free edges of the sidewall f and cover I together. More particularly, turning the edge 3 ofthe cover as at 3 and upwardly as at 5 so as same around the downturnededge 4 of the side wall I so as to form a liquid and gas-tight seal. Thecontents of the container which is under pressure has been designated bythe letter C.

My improved spur shield may be associated with various diflerent typesof can-puncturing devices. There is illustrated in the drawing onecommon type of can-puncturing device with which my improved spurt guardmay be associated. The can-puncturing device shown in the figures of thedrawing is generally made of steel, comprising a handle portion II, aneck portion l2, and a can-puncturing portion I! having a puncturingpoint ll.

It will be noted by referring more particularly to Figs. 1 and 2, thatthe can-puncturing portion I3 is provided with tapered cutting edges itwhich taper down to the point It. Thus, when the .can is punctured, atriangular-shaped cross-sectional view of my improved showing the spurtshield provided extending spurt-deflecting opening is formed therein.The can openeris provided with a rim gripperelement which provides afulcrum about which the handle portion II and the can-puncturing portionI! may be swung. The gripper element may comprise a prong l6 which isstruck out from the body of the handle portion II as at II. The prong-II is bent downwardly and has the end portion ll thereof so shaped as toconveniently grip the rim of the metal container, as shown moreparticularly in Figs. 3 and 4. The handle portion ll may be of anydesired length and so shaped and formed as to provide a convenient andcomfortable hand grip therefor. The neck portion l2 of the can opener isso'shaped as to conveniently vault the rim of the container so as tobring the puncturing portion is down to the proper operative position.

It will now be appreciated that when the handle portion ll of the canopener is swung inwardly, the puncturing portion l3 will pivotabout thecan rim. The point I of the puncturing portion bites into the metal ofthe cover 2 and upon upward pull of the handle portion II the can cover2 is punctured, causing a sudden release of the compressed gases in thecontainer, and causing the contents to spurt in unpredictable upwarddirections and spraying the surroundings and often the operator with theliquid contents.

My improved spurt shield is so designed as to eifectively prevent thespurting of the liquid contents in uncontrolled directions, to break theforce of the pressure-ejected liquid, to direct a substantial portion ofthe ejected liquid back into the container, and to diffuse that portionof the liquid which overflows along the surface of the cover and thusconfine the overflow within the cover rim. Theshield 20 is preferablyformed of flexible resilient metal of springllke quality. The spurtshield 20 is provided with a stem portion 2| at one end thereof, whichis fixedly secured to the handle portion l l of the puncturinginstrument as by rivets 22 or other securing means. The stem portion 2|merges into a shield portion 23, which is preferably substantiallylarger in area than the puncturing portion II, the stern portion 2|being defined therefrom by outwardly flared hip portions 24. The shieldportion 23 may be provided with side edges 25 which taper from hipportions 24 down to a blunt point 28, the point 26 extending a distancebeyond the point I of the puncturing portion IS. The shield portion 23at the juncture of the stem portion 2| is provided with a ridge portion21 which conforms generally to the oversprung neck portion l2 of thepuncturing instrument.

By referring more particularly to Fig. 3, it will be noted that when thepuncturing instrument is applied to the container and placed in positionfor puncturing, point 26 of the spurt shield will rest upon the topcover 2 of the container a distance beyond the puncturing point I. Sincethe spurt shield is fixed to the stem portion ll of the instrument atone end only, and since the shield is constructed of flexible metal orsimilar resilient material, the shield will readily flex about therivets 22. When the handle portion II is pulled upwardly, as shown inFig. 4, the point It breaks through the cover 2 and swings section 2a ofthe cover downwardly into the container. During the puncturing operationthe point 28 of the spurt shield remains area thereof.

pressed against cover 2, with the shield portion 23 overhanging thetriangular-shaped opening formed in the cover a substantial distance, soas to provide in effect a spurt-receiving housing.

Thus, as shown in Fig. 4, the liquid-carrying gases C will spurtupwardly and strike the inportion 23, immediately Also, if desired, theside edges 25 of the shield portion 23 may be provided with flanges soshaped 'as to substantially contact the top surface of the cover 2 whenthe instrument has been applied in operative position, thus providing asubstantially enclosed housing, substantially completely covering thearea of the cover which is to be punctured through.

Where it is desirable full release of the compressed gases, however, itmay be found desirable to leave the side edges of the shield portionopen so as to efiect' lateral deflection of the escaping g It will beapparent that my improved spurt shield may be applied to a number ofdifferent forms of can-puncturing instruments positioned to overlie thecan-puncturing element so as to effectively break the forceof thespurting liquid, return a substantial portion thereof to the interior ofthe container, deflect the overflow latersuitable metal having aresilient springlike characteristic. This spurt shield may be applied asan integral part oi the can opener without substantially increasing thecost thereof.

While certain novel features of the invention have been disclosed andare pointed out in the annexed claim, it will be understood that variousomissions, substitutions and changes may be made by those skilled in theart without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

In combination with a can opener having a can-puncturing portion, aportion adapted to grip the can edge, and a handle portion, of a metalshield element flexible substantially throughout its length including, astem portion section shaped to generally conform to the ad- Jacentlongitudinal cross-section of said can puncturing portion and taperingto a blunt point extending beyond the puncturing point of saidcan-puncturing portion whereby said blunt point is adapted to restagainst the-wall of thecontainer to be punctured beyond the puncturingEDWARD C. EBERTS.

to permit prompt and

